The Lies We Tell Ourselves

Chapter 9

After a full day of rehearsal, things were moving quickly on set. The crew had transitioned seamlessly from practice to shooting, and scene after scene was falling into place. They worked through a variety of moments—tense confrontations between enemies, bitter exchanges of dialogue, and even the softer scenes where the two characters were reluctantly drawn together. Each shot captured the push and pull between Serena and Laurent's characters, and despite their constant banter, their professionalism shone through.

Well, mostly.

It was time to shoot one of the more intimate scenes, where their characters had to confront each other after a long build-up of tension. The setting was perfect—a dimly lit room, their characters supposed to be standing close, their faces mere inches apart, exchanging heated words before the atmosphere shifted to something more vulnerable and, eventually, intimate.

Laurent, already immersed in his role, couldn't resist pushing the boundaries a little. They were deep in character as the cameras rolled, but something in the way he looked at her seemed too real, too personal.

The scene called for their characters to be locked in a moment of intense eye contact before Laurent's character was supposed to lean in as if to kiss her—but not quite. The kiss wouldn't happen until later. But Laurent, in the heat of the moment, leaned in closer than the script called for, his breath warm against Serena's lips, his eyes flickering with something that felt too genuine.

His voice dropped lower than the script indicated as he whispered his line, "I've hated you from the moment we met... but now..." His fingers brushed lightly against her jawline, a move that wasn't in the script.

Serena's breath hitched involuntarily, her character's line momentarily forgotten as she froze. For a split second, she wasn't sure if this was still part of the scene or if Laurent was pushing the boundaries just to fluster her.

The director didn't yell cut, clearly satisfied with the tension, and Laurent didn't back off. Instead, he let his thumb gently graze her cheek, holding the moment far longer than necessary. Serena, fighting the urge to pull back, whispered her next line, trying to stay in character but her voice was unsteady.

"What are you doing?"

Laurent didn't break his gaze, his lips hovering dangerously close to hers. "What do you think I'm doing?"

Serena blinked, trying to maintain her composure. This wasn't part of the script. Her character was supposed to be conflicted, but right now, she was the one feeling off-balance. She took a small step back, creating distance between them.

The director finally called, "Cut!"

Serena immediately stepped away. "Laurent, what was that?" she asked.

He shrugged, that familiar teasing grin spreading across his face. "I was just staying in character."

"You were too into character," Serena shot back, narrowing her eyes.

Laurent chuckled, completely unfazed. "Isn't that what you're supposed to do? Besides, it looked like you were enjoying it. Want to rehearse it again?"

Serena's face hardened, "Don't push it, Laurent. We're supposed to be professional"

"Oh, I'm nothing if not professional," he replied with a wink, clearly enjoying the effect he had on her.

She glared at him, her eyes narrowing. "You better keep that in check next time, or I'll make sure you regret it."

Laurent raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll tone it down. But you can't blame me for getting a little carried away. This whole enemies-turned-lovers thing is a bit too real, don't you think?"